…In and out of consciousness… body broken… shivering from the cold is just this body’s reaction… this body’s need to preserve itself… can’t focus on the pain… the lies… the humiliation… the fear… remember what he said…

…“Should the first and second ruse fail, and those bastards are convinced we’re either going to break or accept death, that’s when you hold out the most, refuse to tell them the rest, because that’s the only way they’ll believe the last ruse is the truth. They need to believe that the lie you’re saving for last is what you believe is the only thing that really matters… more than dying. You wait for that absolute last moment, when they’ve given up trying to bleed it out of you, and that’s when you tell them what we talked about. When it looks like you’ve chosen to reveal it on your terms, at just the right moment, they’ll have to believe it and decide if killing you will only hurt them. And that’s the only real weapon you’ll have to save your life among these monsters who play games. It’s what you say and when you say it that will save you. And whatever you do… never tell them about Megan. Never tell them the truth”…

The clouds appeared ripped open in the eastern sky. A crimson-colored hue bled out over the tree tops.

Micom stood beneath the bare spider-like limbs of the ancient willow tree with his arms folded behind his back. He was still wearing his well-pressed uniform. “This is my favorite part of the day,” he said over his shoulder. “Every new sky offers something slightly different than the one before it, whether it’s a twist on an old color or just the way the clouds rearrange to support the light show that follows.” He turned toward the tree and smiled, “It is one of those rare, honest moments which can risk being completely exposed, because nothing we could ever do will place the mystery of a new day in jeopardy… In other words, we could never exploit the truth of it. I find that very compelling.”

He stopped and frowned at the pale, almost naked woman who had been shivering in the cold a moment before. She was wearing only a white bra and panties with dark bruises and multiple cuts running down her entire body. She had short-chopped red hair and a scar running down her cheek.

The woman had passed out again.

“Wake her up,” Micom ordered.

A short man wearing a trench coat over his katana, stepped out from behind the large tree and walked up to the half-dead woman who was chained to the tree from her ankles, waist and wrists. He approached her cautiously and then backhanded her hard across her already bruised and swollen cheek.

She cried out in pain and then reached out with her nails to claw the little fucker’s face.

Copperfield had already moved back out of range as the chain went tight sending sharp pain into her lacerated wrists.

“Still some fight left in you, Gina?” Micom said with amusement. “Well, how about that then. After everything you went through last night, you’re still determined to make liars out of all of us. Congratulations! You did not break! You did not bend! You did not yield!” he mocked the last.

Gina murdered him again with her defiant stare.

Micom stepped in close (but not too close) and looked her up and down with disapproval. He retrieved a handkerchief from his back pocket. “You, my dear, are a mess,” he said, reaching in to wipe dirt from her face.

Gina tried to bite his fingers off as he just managed to pull back his hand in time.

He laughed and said to Copperfield, “My goodness! We haven’t even infected her yet, and she’s already acting like one of them!”

“Sticks and mother fucking stones… asshole,” Gina managed to get out.

He smiled at her and shook his head. “Gina… Gina… Gina… let’s not end this how we started.” He pointed toward the sunrise. “It’s dawn. That means the sands have finally run out on your glass. It’s time to fulfill Micolad’s judgment-”

“FUCK YOU!” she spat. It took all she had left to raise her voice, but she found it well worth it.

Micom’s face was unreadable as he stared into the disgusting woman’s vile face.

Copperfield shifted nervously. He’d seen this look many times. Micom would either pull his knife out and stab Gina repeatedly or he would laugh it off.

Micom turned away with a laugh and said, “A fighter ‘till the end.” He stopped and turned. “Did Frank teach you that?”

She smiled viciously and said, “You won’t break him eit-”

“He’s already dead,” Micom said indifferently. He watched her expression change. “I’m so sorry, Gina, but he did, in fact, ‘break’. That’s why he’s gone now. He told us the mission in exchange for your life.”

Gina looked away. She tried to fight back her tears. Don’t give him anything to use against you… ANYTHING! He’s lying… that’s what you have to keep believing.

Micom anticipated her denial. “Come on, Gina. What have I to gain by lying to a dead woman?” He stopped and covered his mouth, looking over at Copperfield. “Whoops… I guess Frank would be upset to hear me say that.”

They both laughed.

Gina shot them both a look of stone and hissed, “Liars! Your words are a poison I’ve had all night to build up my immunity to.” She smiled and finished, “So the fucking jokes on you… losers.”

Micom exchanged a look with Copperfield as the little man handed him a bloody bag.

Gina saw the bag, and her heart dropped. It was big enough to hold a human head inside of it.

She closed her eyes and prayed, Dear God, no… please. Please just let this be over.

Micom walked over with the bag and said sadly, “I’m sure you’ve heard the story from Sam about what happens to prisoners who are sentenced to walk the river… as was Frank’s fate a little while ago.”

Gina tried to keep it together, tried to ignore the evil man, and the bag. Tears started streaming down her face.

“Well, just in case you need a refresher, the Shadow Dead take the bodies when they’re finished… but they always leave a piece to dissuade the cattle from believing anyone ever gets away.” He looked at the bag and finished, “Frankly, pardon the pun, I’m surprised they left his whole head-”

“Stop!” she pleaded. “Just… take it away… please.”

Micom faked concern. “Now that’s a good girl.” He turned and tossed the bloody bag to Copperfield, who moved out of the way, rather than try to catch it.

Gina wanted to throw up when she heard it hit the ground.

Micom gave him an amused look.

Copperfield simply shrugged his shoulders.

Micom leaned in and whispered to Gina, “Do you want to know what his last words were before I sent him walking an hour ago? I will tell you if you ask me nicely?”

Gina was ready to die. She somehow managed to endure a night of torture without giving them what they wanted… but it was knowing that Frank was in this with her that gave her the strength to keep fighting back.

And then she remembered his words:

…“Remember, Gina, you can’t let them have anything to use. Even if they threaten me at gunpoint and promise to pull the trigger if you don’t talk… even then, you can’t let them have it. Because when you finally give them what they want… that’s when the both of us die. Better one of us gets sacrificed for the other, than to let the pricks get what they’re after, and then kill us both… If one of us survives… we both survive… do you understand? Do you understand that this is what you must believe?”…

“I understand, Frank,” she whispered.

“What was that, Gina?” Micom asked.

She leaned her head back and thrust it forward into his ear, hurting herself in the process.

Copperfield’s sword was out, lightning fast. He had it up under Gina’s chin.

“Wait!” Micom ordered. “Put it away.”

Copperfield gave Gina a warning glance and promised, “Do that again and even he won’t be able to call me off before your head hits the ground.”

Gina spit in his direction. “Big fucking man with the sword. Take these chains off and we’ll talk about it, dickhead!” Remembering Frank’s words had bought her another round. She turned toward Micom who had backed up and was rubbing the side of his head. She smiled and said, “Come back over here and let me do that again… pleeeease. There, I even said it nicely, you soulless son-of-a-”

Micom moved in like a viper. He punched her in the face so hard Gina’s head rocked back and struck the tree. She fell unconscious.

When he was certain she was out, he turned to Copperfield and said, “When they find him, no one is touch a hair on his head until I cut it off myself and make that bitch kiss it… are we clear?”

Copperfield nodded. He turned and said, “What about her? Should we start the process?”

“No,” Micom said. “Just let her hang and rot a while longer.”

~~~

SIX HOURS EARLIER:

…“Imagine the worst things they could do to you physically and accept them as a reality. If you’re prepared to endure any humiliation to the flesh with the understanding that they can’t touch who you really are without letting them inside your head and heart… then they’ll quickly grow tired of those tactics and try to find another way in.”…

Frank slowly opened his left eye. The right one was swollen shut. He tried to move his arms but discovered that they were secured behind his back, attached to a short chain, which connected to the wall behind him. He was sitting in a fold up metal chair. His feet were also bound, with another chain running along the floor toward the same wall.

The dark room, for lack of a better description, appeared to be a cellar as far as he could tell. The only light that entered was from a metal grate directly above him. He estimated that it was fifteen feet up. He could make nothing out more than a few feet in front of him as shadows hid the dimensions of the cold and damp space. Beneath his bare feet was a concrete slab which disappeared into the dark.

So much for the good night sleep and final meal before our execution, he thought. Every part of him ached after the beating he’d received in the barracks. This is all for show… to ‘up’ the terror factor. They obviously want the information we’re withholding… that’s good.

An overhead fluorescent light came on at the other end of a long room. Frank could now see a door and a small table with two more fold-up chairs pushed in on both sides. This is an interrogation room. But what really caught his attention, were the white concrete walls which were covered with blood stains. Some splatters looked ancient while others appeared to be recent. Most of the floor in that area was also stained red.

Frank shook his head. Alright… get ready for the games.

“Okay, enough with the horror show!” Frank called out. “I get it. You want us scared. You want us to know the serious shit we’re in.” He put on his best performance. “I’ll tell you how to find them… where they’re headed,” he lied. “Let’s just please stop all these mind games… because we are definitely scared.”

“What, and spoil all the fun we’ve been having so far, you big cry-baby?” a male voice mocked from a shadowed corner behind him.

Before Frank could turn to acknowledge the voice, the man kicked the chair out from under him, causing Frank to fall forward and strike the hard concrete floor with his forehead. Son-of-a-bitch! That one hurt!

“Now shut the fuck up, cry-baby” the man said. “Unless you want us to fuck her up, too!”

There were three other men now, all laughing from the shadows. They stepped out, all dressed in Micom’s soldier attire. Frank could tell by their size and bloody knuckles that these men were brawlers assigned to inflict physical pain on this bloody room’s guests… and that they enjoyed the work they did down here.

We’re in trouble, Frank thought grimly. He feared for Gina… wherever she was.

Just then a door at the other end of the room opened wide, causing Micom’s soldiers to tense up and behave themselves as they lined up along the wall and waited for instructions.

Two more soldier types entered the room with Gina in between them. She was still wearing a pillowcase over her head as they forcefully sat her down in one of the chairs, facing Frank’s direction. The soldiers stood back against the wall behind Gina.

The prick followed right behind them with his arms behind his back and that shit-eating grin plastered on his face. Micom looked briefly over at Frank and then took in the whole room with a look of disgust on his face. He then sat down in the opposite chair in front of Gina.

Shit… whatever’s about to happen is for my benefit, he thought. This is about to get really fucking nasty. Remember what we talked about, Gina, or they will win in this fucking cellar.

Micom shifted uncomfortably in his chair, wiping his hands together as if just being in the room was an assault on his senses. He looked over at the woman breathing heavily with her hands secured behind her back. He nodded to his men. One of them removed the pillowcase from her head.

The overhead light stung her eyes. Gina slowly opened them and looked at the well-groomed man with a beard dressed in green fatigues sitting across from her.

“I trust you’ve had some time to think about your… predicament,” Micom said, wanting to move along. “I apologize for the rough treatment shown to you and Jeremy, but honestly, you two have managed to destroy my efforts to keep the citizens under my care well-behaved with your little ‘show’ last night.”

Gina stared at the man, not trusting a response.

Another overhead light came on toward the far side of the room. Gina saw Frank on the floor in chains. He looked horrible. My God, they’ve beat the shit out of him… mother fuckers!

“Oh, yes,” Micom said, pretending to just realize who Gina was staring at behind him. “Since it was Jeremy’s mouth that caused all the trouble at The Gathering, I didn’t think it was necessary to punish you as severely as your friend.” He stood up and said, “And all I wanted to do was give you two a final night of peace in this world before accepting your fate. But then he had to open his mouth and ruin the moment.” He started pacing and shaking his head. “Really… I don’t know what to say. I’m disappointed to say the least.”

“Your fucking talking toaster just sentenced us to death… for no reason… and then you beat up my friend… and you’re upset?” Gina said.

One of the soldiers came up from behind her, grabbed Gina by the hair and slammed her head against the table.

Frank’s chains went tight as he tried to move.

Another soldier along the wall came up and kicked him in the face. “Down, boy,” the soldier hissed.

Frank spit out a glob of blood and promised the soldier scum, “I’m going to rip your throat out with my teeth.”

The other soldiers laughed. The first soldier shook his head and kicked him in the stomach.

Frank fell over.

Micom called the other soldier off who backed up against the wall behind her.

Gina lifted her head slowly, trying not to black out as her forehead was throbbing from the blow.

Micom sat back down and sighed. “You really need to watch what you say, Debra. Micolad is above your reproach, but people around here get a little touchy when you disrespect their protector.”

“Why… why do refer to it like a person? It’s just a machine.” Gina expected another attack.

Micom nodded. “Yes, I understand your confusion. You haven’t been here very long to appreciate the… magic… of this wonderful little place. Micolad is more than a machine. He is an artificial intelligence, created by Man, but has now surpassed Man. In fact, he may very well be the only one who can get us through this dead mess which is out in the world presently. Micolad negotiates with the dead to keep us safe by asking them to compromise and let him find other solutions to meet their needs without slaughtering us all. That is the primary purpose of The Gathering each night. We assemble and pay tribute to the dead, the Shadow Dead in turn tell us what they want in exchange for our lives. Micolad translates and provides a suitable substitute to satisfy their needs.”

“Needs?” Gina asked. “I don’t understand.”

“Well, of course you don’t,” he said impatiently. “You people who live ‘out there’ are savages. You kill one another and act no different from the dead, preying on each other. As for us, we know that the only way to survive, is to find a way to coexist with them. The dead have an insatiable lust for blood. Surely you know that by now. Anyway, Micolad found a way to communicate with them and he devises appropriate means to satisfy their all-consuming need for blood through sports and spoils, as we call them. They let us pick a sacrifice, Micolad devices the means to make it fair. He lets the civilians fight for a chance to live. The winner stays. The loser walks the river and becomes a hero, saving us for another night.”

“What I saw you do last night… ” Gina was trying to be careful. “It was inexcusable. None of you have any right to do what you’re doing. It’s sick.”

“It’s not perfect, Debra. But in time, things will change. But that’s none of your concern anymore, so let’s get down to business.”

Here it comes, she thought.

… “If our original ruse fails, and if these fuckers are as smart as they seem to be, we should expect it and go to the back-up ruse. We tell them something that’s of value to them, something that also makes us valuable to them. What we say is the only weapon we will have if it comes down to the second ruse. Chances are, we will already be in the fire and our lives will depend on it. So you’re going to be a prostitute. If they buy it, then trying to compromise you sexually might seem pointless, if it comes to that. And I’m going to be exactly who I am. We don’t know how long Sam was in charge of security here and how much she told them about her vendetta against me. It might buy us some credibility. The point of the second ruse is to validate lying to them initially and make us willing allies out of necessity. We paint ourselves as undesirables from the old world. That might make us seem easier to recruit because no one else wants us around, or, it will make us exactly the kind of scum who would do the dark things these monsters would want.”…

“First, why don’t you tell me your real names? If you two are really willing to be cooperative, then let’s start peeling back the lies. Names?”

“Gina and Frank,” Micom said. “Alright, Gina, why did you come here and lie to us?”

“We were in a bit of trouble. The woman Frank mentioned last night turned out to be a cop. I was with her group before Frank came into the picture, but she already had me figured out. I was… in a lot of trouble with the Law before the world changed. The cop, Samantha, she saw it in me and made me spill all. I used to be a prostitute and Samantha immediately hated me after that. She said I was nothing but trouble for her camp. When Frank came along, that’s when the bitch went crazy! She attacked him for no reason and kept him locked up. She never did explain why. Anyway, I was curious, and spoke to Frank myself. He told me this cop knew him from before… and that she was going to kill him for something he never went to trial for. We talked some more and I decided to spring him loose if he would protect me and take me with him.”

“I see,” Micom said. “And the rest?”

Gina continued. “We had a hard time on our own. The dead were everywhere. And if not them, there were other people who wanted whatever we had… which wasn’t much. It was Frank who told me about this place. He told me that the cop used to threaten to send him here if he didn’t behave… told him all sorts of scary stories about this place and what went on here.”

“And yet, you came here anyway,” Micom said, folding his hands beneath his chin. “Now why would you do that?”

“Frank didn’t buy her bullshit. He believed that there was a settlement here, but that Sam got herself kicked out and she hated you all like she hated him. Frank never did anything wrong to her, but she blamed him for losing the police station she was holding him at after he barely escaped. She’s fucking nuts! Anyway, we were at our wits end and decided to take a chance and come here.”

Micom laughed and got up. He walked toward Frank and asked, “I suppose you concur with all of this?”

Frank nodded. “Yeah. That’s all of it. I didn’t want to tell you I was a convicted felon… it’s not won me any cool points before or since the apocalypse started.”

Micom smiled and turned back toward Gina. “Yes… I suppose it’s all very, very true… and very convenient.”

Fuck! He’s not buying it. Frank closed his eyes.

“Now let me tell you both the rest of your story to save us some time,” Micom said. “Let’s see… ah, yes! Next comes the part where you two tell me that Sam, who I just so happen to have a strong interest in, will be coming here sooner or later with her large army, or something like that.” He looked at Gina.

Gina was staring at the table, failing to maintain her poker face.

Micom continued. “Next, you will attempt to convince me to keep you alive in order to gain your help at catching the ‘crazy cop’… of course, you will have to take me to her yourself to guarantee that I won’t just shoot you both in the head after you tell me where she is. Does that about cover it?” He looked back and forth between them.

Frank and Gina exchanged a dire look.

Gina smiled weakly. Sorry… I wasn’t convincing enough.

He nodded to her. It’s okay, you did the best you could.

Micom rolled his eyes at the ceiling. “I am not particularly concerned about what or where and why you know what you know about dear, Samantha. Yes, yes, she hurt us a while back. But I assure you, she is of no concern to me at this point. Nor do I believe she has any interest in coming back here. I remember Sam. She was afraid. Fearful people look out for their own survival. I imagine she’s still looking out for #1. That’s the Samantha I remember. She, and your lies, are of no consequence. We are not the type of people who go about the countryside wasting our time in acts of revenge or retaliation. I believe you two do know Sam… hell, she’s probably in that little town of Andover where you came from. The fact remains, you two are responsible for killing off one of my cell groups in the same town and that’s why you’ve been sentenced.” He gave them a moment to let this sink in.

Frank gave Gina another look. The girl told him everything.

She lifted her eyebrows. Then that means she made it here. She might still be alive.

“I will miss, Donovan. He was a trusted member of our community. If I were like the rest of you, I would be justified in stabbing you both in the heart for taking him from us. But again, that’s not what we’re about.” He nodded to the two men behind Gina.

They grabbed her and pulled her out to the center of the room and made her sit on her knees.

Mother fuckers! Frank tried to move, but he could not.

Micom started walking around Gina like a vulture. He let out a deep breath and said, “Well, at least we’ve peeled back that ridiculous layer of lies. Really… it’s insulting that you both think I can’t tell the difference between the truth and a well-rehearsed story. Anyway, since Frank took the blunt of the first punishment, Gina, it’s only fair that you take the second round.” He nodded to his men.

The two big soldiers took turns backhanding her hard across the face. Each time she fell over, the other would pick her up and the vicious cycle continued… again… and again… and again…

Frank cut his wrists trying to force his hands free of the chains. It was no use. All he could do was watch this play out.

When she was too weak to sit up, the soldiers started kicking her repeatedly while she was down until she was almost unconscious.

Micom lifted a hand signaling them to stop. He walked over to Frank and knelt beside him and said, “I want to know one thing from the two of you. No more lies. You answer my one question honestly and I will stop this. If not, this is going to get far worse.”

“You can beat me to a pulp, you fucking monster, you’re not getting shit out of me!” Frank spit on Micom’s shoe.

The other soldiers moved in to beat him.

Micom stopped them. “Frank… you’re a smart guy… I can tell. You strike me as someone who has been in this type of situation before. Maybe… on the other end of the beatings, perhaps?”

Frank glared at him.

Micom smiled. “That’s what I thought. Well, then you know what’s coming next. I’m going to make you watch while these men defile your friend. Is that what you want?”

Frank looked toward Gina. She tried to move but every time she tried to get up, one of the soldiers sliced at her arms and legs with knives until she fell back down.

“Look long and hard, Frank,” Micom said. “You may be able to endure torture of this magnitude, but your friend? I hardly think so. She can’t even lie correctly.”

“What’s your question?” Frank hissed.

“It’s clear that you both came with knowledge of this place. Sam’s probably told you everything. But that’s what concerns me. There has to be something very important going on to make the two of you foolishly walk up to my front door like you did. So here it is, Frank: Why are you really here?”

Frank gave him a devious smile and said, “You’ll find out, asshole.”

Micom frowned. “Fine. Have it your way. This mess is on you.” He nodded to the two men standing in front of Gina.

They reached down and stripped her blouse and jeans off, leaving Gina lying in her undergarments. The two soldiers waited for further instructions.

“Last chance,” Micom whispered. “These men will all take turns. You will die with that poor woman’s screams on your conscience as they take what’s left of her dignity away.”

Frank looked at the cold, hard and bloody concrete in front of him. He could think of no other way. This would have to play out, or they were dead anyway. He looked into the monster’s eyes and said, “I’m going to kill every last one of you when I get out of this. There’s your fucking answer.” He looked away and thought, I’m sorry, Gina.

Micom shook his head. “Your response is very unfortunate.” He turned to signal his men to proceed.

Fuck me! Frank thought. I can’t let this happen… Think Frank! Find another way out of this!

“Wa… wait!” Gina cried out. “I’ll… I’ll tell… I’ll you everything!”

“Gina, don’t do it!” Frank called out.

The other soldiers were already kicking him.

Micom stood up and said to the soldiers, “Well… help her up! At least one of them came to their senses.”

The soldiers helped Gina get to her feet.

She stood like a drunk before Micom, not bothering to cover herself, as she struggled not to pass out and collapse.

“Why are you really here, Gina?” he asked. “Tell me, and all this will end.”

“Stop… stop hurting him first,” she said weakly.

“Very well,” Micom signaled the others to back off of Frank.

Frank turned and gave her a pleading look. Don’t do it, Gina! Don’t let them win!

“Speak!” Micom ordered. “Answer the question!”

Gina closed her eyes and imagined herself elsewhere; where she ended up going, surprised everyone. Her body was already close to broken. She knew what was coming. She knew she was helpless to stop it. They would fuck her and beat her some more and she would die in this horrible place if she didn’t accept that her body was just useless flesh which they could use against her… she had to make them believe it.

She went back to that old familiar place, beneath neon lights and the roar of the crowd which respected only crude nakedness twisted into perverse fantasies. She let Fire and Ice return to take control.

Gina clumsily started shaking her hips, thrusting her breasts up and down as she spun around an imaginary pole with her hands still locked behind her back.

The soldiers looked confused. Had they hit her too hard and knocked something loose in her head? They turned to Micom.

Gina moved in close to one of the soldiers and rubbed her bloody, broken flesh up against his clean uniform. “How’s that?” she teased. “You want it? You want to put your dirty cock in my dirty twat?”

The soldier looked appalled as he pushed her back.

Gina backed up into the second soldier and rubbed her ass against his groin, reaching with her cuffed hands for his belt. “Come on, you pussies! If you want to fuck me already, then let’s do this! I’ve been fucked so many times by so many different dirty cocks—what’s a few more gonna matter.” She moved toward Micom, invading his space, breathing her horrid breath all over him as she said, “I’m dead anyway… might as well have a little fun, right? What’s a little venereal disease shared among strangers these days? There’s worse things that can kill you now, right?” She winked and then dropped down and moved her mouth toward his groin, pretending to bite. “Come on and stick it to my dirty snatch, you up-tight bastard. Maybe you like it up the ass more than I do. I’ve enough holes to go around. Let’s see what’s catching these days… hmmm?”

Micom was visibly disturbed. He backed away and looked like he wanted to scream.

Frank was laughing… hard.

“Enough!” Micom shouted. He looked to Frank and then to Gina and said, “Get that sickly looking thing back on the ground where it belongs!”

The two soldiers moved in and knocked her back down, suddenly wanting to touch her as little as possible.
Gina fell without a fight and waited for hell. She felt dirty inside… disgusting… and she hoped they felt it.

Neither of the soldiers kicked her this time. They waited.

“Shut him up!” Micom ordered.

The other soldiers kicked Frank again until he fell silent.

“We’re done here! They’ve obviously prepared for this, so all we’re doing is wasting time!” he told them. “Take that vile thing back upstairs and throw her back into the dark!” Micom quickly departed without another word.

The two soldiers picked Gina up and put the pillowcase back over her head. They carried her up under her arms and dragged her out. The other soldiers gave Frank a final glance and followed after.

Both lights went back out and Frank stared up toward the grate. He did not hear Gina scream from some undisclosed bedroom above. You did real well, Gina. They may not have believed our story, but they believe you are a lady of the night now. He smiled at her performance, probably her best performance as a former stripper, because this time, her not-so-exotic dancing just saved both of their lives.

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